Portuguese Phrase
Quanto tempo duram as refeições preparadas?
Meaning
The sentence asks about the shelf‑life of meals that have already been cooked or assembled. It is typically used when you want to know how many days or hours you can keep a prepared dish before it spoils or loses quality.
When to use
Use this question in a kitchen, at a restaurant, or when discussing meal‑prep plans with friends or family. It’s especially handy when you’re storing leftovers, packing lunches for the week, or advising someone on food safety.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quantotempoduramasrefeiçõespreparadas?
Quanto
Interrogative adverb meaning 'how much' or 'how long' when used with time.
tempo
Noun meaning 'time'; here it is the object of the question.
duram
Third‑person plural present of the verb 'durar' (to last). The subject is plural (as refeições).
as
Definite article in feminine plural, agreeing with 'refeições'.
refeições
Feminine plural noun meaning 'meals' or 'dishes'.
preparadas
Past participle of 'preparar', used as an adjective meaning 'prepared', agreeing in gender and number with 'refeições'.
🗨In Conversation
Quanto tempo duram as refeições preparadas?
How long do prepared meals last?
Depende do tipo de alimento, mas, em geral, a maioria dos pratos pode ficar de 3 a 5 dias na geladeira.
It depends on the food, but generally most dishes can stay 3 to 5 days in the fridge.
✕Common Mistakes
Quanto tempo dura as refeições preparadas?
The verb must agree with the plural subject 'as refeições', so use 'duram' instead of the singular 'dura'.
Quanto tempo duram as refeições preparado?
Because 'refeições' is feminine plural, the adjective must be 'preparadas', not the masculine singular 'preparado'.
Quanto duram as refeições preparadas?
Do not omit the noun; 'Quanto duram as refeições preparadas?' changes the meaning to 'How long do the prepared meals last?' which is acceptable but loses the explicit reference to 'time'.
↔Alternatives
Quanto tempo podem ficar as refeições preparadas?
How long can the prepared meals stay?
Por quanto tempo as refeições preparadas permanecem boas?
For how long do the prepared meals remain good?
Qual é a validade das refeições já preparadas?
What is the shelf‑life of already prepared meals?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, food‑safety guidelines recommend storing cooked meals in airtight containers and consuming them within 3–4 days if kept at 4 °C (39 °F) or lower. In hotter regions, people often freeze leftovers after 24 hours to avoid spoilage. Also, the verb 'durar' is commonly used for time‑related durability, while 'ficar' is more colloquial and can replace it in informal speech.